Lake Texoma

Because Life is Better at the Lake

Hot Summer Management Tips for Deer

by Tom Behrens, Freelance Writer & Photographer

Tom Behrens has over 50 years experience in fishing and hunting across the United States. Much of this time was spent in Oklahoma and Texas where he became very familiar with the outdoor opportunities in these states. You may contact him by email at: tomdoglover29@aol.com

Luke Murray passes on some tips for getting ready for deer hunting season when you don’t have a fishing rod in your hand.

Maintenance:Deer feeders: Pull the batteries from your feeders and store them in a cool place for the remainder of the summer. Replace screws, patch holes, replace cracked windows, seal any leaks, and make sure your blind is safe and secure for the upcoming season.

Land Management:For box blinds, take time to evaluate your lines-of-sight. Make sure you do some brush clearing to maximize visibility for the upcoming season. Clearing out brush at the wood lines or cutting senderos through your thickets will allow you the best use of your blind’s location, and give you opportunities to lay eyes on game that may be lurking just beyond the clearing.

Summer Feeding:Having corn in an area will allow for deer to make themselves familiar with that location for the coming months. If you really want to keep the whitetail coming back to your feeders, cottonseed is a protein source that is highly digestible for whitetails.

Lake Texoma Water Level (last 30 days)

Lake Texoma Fishing Report from TPWD (Dec. 13)

Water lightly stained; 47–51 degrees; 1.42’ high. Black bass are good on suspending jerkbaits, Senkos and shakyhead worms. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Striped bass are fair on slabs and minnows. Catfish are slow on trotlines and prepared bait.